For the Greater Good
by BellaRei713
Summary: "It was done. Albus Dumbledore was taken, and Gellert Grindelwald had given. Given more of himself though than he realized at this point." Follows the AD/GG relationship from start to finish. Changed rating to M per suggestion and hopes to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is my version of the relationship that went on between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald. It starts off during the summer they met and will visit their infamous duel and the last moments of Gellert's life when he is confronted by Voldemort. Contains slash and mild sexual content, so it is a strong T rating. There's some violence as well. Please, please, please review! Feedback will motivate me to write and therefore update more quickly!

**Disclaimer:** Everything belongs to J.K.R., without whom none of this would be.

**For the Greater Good**

A tall, lanky boy of barely eighteen, with long auburn hair and bright blue eyes, stood facing another boy of about the same age, slightly shorter and stockier, with curly blonde hair cascading down past his grey eyes. They were being introduced to one another by an older woman, short and stout, with a big smile upon her face as she looked from one boy to the other.

"Gellert Grindelvald," said the blonde boy in a smooth accent as he held out his hand. "Pleased to have made your acquaintance."

They held their hand shake a bit longer than was normal, looking each other in the eyes unfalteringly. They only broke gaze when the older woman spoke.

"Oh boys, I know you'll get on quite well!" she beamed. Addressing Gellert, she said, "Albus is top of his class at Hogwarts! Such a brilliant boy." Gellert cocked an eyebrow at Albus, smirking.

"And Gellert here is quite the thinker himself, quite gifted, always likes to keep his friends intelligent," she went on, now speaking to Albus. "Yes, I'm sure you'll get along just fine while Gellert is here."

She turned and left them alone in the sittingroom of her house. Albus was watching Gellert intently as the latter took a seat on the couch, grinning at Albus, his golden locks falling haphazardly around his face and neck. He motioned for Albus to do the same.

"So, you're a bit of a genius, eh?" said Gellert, cheekily.

"And you're a bit of a delinquent, getting expelled from Durmstrang?" Albus retorted, smirking back at Gellert.

"Ah, that… that vos nothing. The magic I vos experimenting vith vos just beyond those fools' understanding. My brilliance cannot be confined vithin the valls of a school, anyvay," he said cockily. He caught Albus' eye and smirked.

"What do you mean? What kind of magic were you involved with?" Albus asked quickly, sounding both intrigued and amused.

"Ah, that is for me to know, and you to find out." Gellert winked. He leaned back against the couch and flipped his hair out of his face confidently, unwittingly revealing a mark on his neck slightly behind and underneath his left ear. Albus reached out a hand unconsciously and touched it softly, leaning in to properly see it. Gellert stiffened on contact. The symbol was a triangle surrounding a circle, surrounding a line, seemingly burned into his flesh. Gellert turned toward Albus, causing Albus' hand to trace Gellert's neck, resting underneath his chin, their faces now quite close together.

"You know vot it is then?" Gellert asked mysteriously, surprised to see the recognition on Albus' face.

"The Hallows…." said Albus as he slowly lowered his raised arm. "But you can't honestly think they're real?"

"Albus, Albus, Albus, my new friend. Can you honestly think they are not, vith all the history surrounding them, the most obvious of vich is that of the Elder Vand? I can tell, I know you vill appreciate my – unorthodox – beliefs vunce you understand. I can see that you _vill_ be one of the only vons able to understand. If you vould like, I ask you to accompany me now to my room, vere I vill explain myself further," said Gellert with the air of someone about to reveal his greatest secret. Albus was enthralled.

"Please do offer an explanation, Gellert. I would love to hear your theories on such things," Albus said as he rose.

Gellert also rose and led the way up the stair into his bedroom, closing the door behind Albus. He turned to face Albus and began his explanation of the Deathly Hallows and the dark magic that was his reason for being expelled from school. He explained how he had followed the history of the Hallows directly to here, his aunt's place in Godric's Hollow, Godric's Hollow being the home of one brother in the family that was said to have been the initial owners of the Hallows. When they did not emerge from the room for hours, the old woman by the name of Bathilda became excited. She knew that one day these two brilliant boys would make a name for themselves. Little did she know what she had catalyzed.

* * *

A week had passed since Albus had first me Gellert, and they had spent every available moment together. Gellert was brilliant, and Albus was entranced by his ideas and by the new magic that Gellert had introduced him to, and that they were now discovering together. Gellert, with his demanding presence and unwavering beliefs had Albus captivated. Albus was afraid of some of the dark magic they were dabbling into, but that also made it more exciting and appealing to him; that and the promise of possessing the Deathly Hallows, a power that would make them unstoppable. The dark magic and ideas for world order that Gellert had presented to Albus, the most controversial of which included wizarding rule over Muggles, seemed less foolish when presented by Gellert.

Albus could not deny that he had thought long and hard about wizards needing to better assert themselves around Muggles. He also could not hide from Gellert the circumstances that had led him to these convictions. Gellert was the first person he had ever spoken to about his damaged sister, about how she was attacked as a small child by Muggle boys who saw her doing magic. How she has never recovered from the trauma and has come to resent her magical abilities, bottling them up until they turn inward on her or explode out of her uncontrollably. How his father was sent to Azkaban years ago for murdering the boys who had attacked her, and how she had had an outburst that had killed their mother just a few months prior to their meeting. This was why Albus was home, fulfilling his responsibility to his siblings when he could be doing great things elsewhere; traveling the world as he had planned, for instance. He trusted Gellert and Gellert seemed to understand his pain, seemed to want to help, and seemed sure that Albus' brilliance would not be wasted. He told him everything would work out, and Albus believed him. Unleashing his brainpower with Gellert gave Albus new purpose. He wanted to be with this boy as much as he could, not wanting to miss any brilliant moment or any brilliant smile, any teasing wink or inquiring raise of an eyebrow.

"Albus, where are you going?" asked an irritated boy, younger than Albus, shorter and stronger looking. This boy also had auburn hair and twinkling blue eyes, but his hair only fell to his shoulders rather than halfway down his back like Albus'.

"Just down to the Bagshot's for a bit," Albus replied hastily as he finished pulling on his shirt and headed for the door.

"Not _again_, Albus! You've been with that Grindelwald boy every day since he's been here! What about me? What about _Ariana_?" said the boy, exasperated.

"Listen, I'll be right down the street. You know if you need me I'll be back before you can say 'licorice wand,'" Albus reassured him, though he didn't look convinced. "Ab, she hasn't had an episode in weeks."

"Just go. I can handle her," sighed Aberforth. Albus grinned at his younger brother, went to kiss the blonde girl that was sitting at the kitchen table playing with her cereal on the forehead, and walked out the front door.

He walked quickly down the street on which he lived in Godric's Hollow and up to the front door of the Bagshot residence. He did not have to knock, however, because Gellert was waiting for him on the other side and immediately opened the door.

"Morning, Al," he said nonchalantly, though his mouth twitched into a wide grin.

"No time for pleasantries; we have much to discuss," said Albus immediately, bustling by Gellert and grabbing his hand, pulling him upstairs. To anyone else this urgency would have seemed a bit ridiculous since the boys had not stopped communicating by owl since they last parted the day before, but to them those hours apart were torturous and wasted. Once they were safely in Gellert's bedroom, Albus began talking, Gellert watching him pace with amusement, stilling grinning mischievously.

"I've been thinking, and there is only one way to really do this. We _need_ to have a sort of slogan, something that will represent us positively, because, Gel, the whole Ministry of Magic is going to be after us and people are not going to understand. They are not going to take this lightly. We will be going directly against the International Statute of Secrecy, Gel! They won't understand how beneficial it will be until the movement is completed. They will think we are power-hungry, blood-thirsty tyrants, but we aren't! They'll be thankful for our brilliant guidance later. It's not for our gain, though that's what they'll think. It's for the benefit of everyone, wizards and Muggles alike! It's for… for the greater good!" Albus exclaimed passionately. He stopped pacing and looked at Gellert, who was sitting on his bed gawking at Albus.

"You, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, are utterly perfect," said Gellert, gazing at Albus, awestruck at the enthusiasm now present in his new counterpart. Albus was panting, his hair all a mess from his pacing, and he had a fire blazing behind his blue eyes that was beautifully intimidating. "Perfect," sighed Gellert as he took all of Albus in. He could no longer control himself; his own attraction to Albus coupled with the fact that building Albus' feelings for him would further solidify his loyalty to Gellert made him irresistible. He stood up and walked over to Albus, took a hold of his shoulders and stared him in the eye.

"You're the only von who has ever really understood me, Al, the only von who has ever seen eye to eye vith me," Gellert told him sincerely. "My only equal."

"And you, mine."

Gellert moved the long auburn locks out of Albus' face and put them behind his back, carefully taking every hair off of Albus' chest and moving it out of the way.

"You and I are going to do great things, Albus," he told the boy that was hanging on his every word.

"Together," Albus said intently, with bated breath.

Gellert placed his hands upon Albus' hips and moved their bodies together, looking deeply into his eyes. He leaned in and placed his lips upon the other boy's, sending a tingling sensation through his body, and Albus quietly gasped as Gellert's lips parted his. There was no use in trying to deny it or fight it any longer, Albus thought. He had never experienced anything more delightful. He moved his hands up Gellert's back and grabbed onto the golden curls at the nape of his neck, pulling his head in closer and slipping his tongue into Gellert's mouth at the same time. They were closer than they had ever before been, but that was not close enough for Albus. He didn't know why, but he wanted this boy as close to him as possible, so badly that he ached. He felt that if they broke apart and Gellert's mouth for some reason became detached from his, that he would never be able to speak or use it properly again.

Just as this thought was crossing his mind, though, Gellert pulled back and locked gazes with Albus. Something sinister that he had been trying to ignore was again dancing in Gellert's eyes.

"Our power vill be unmatched; our skills, unfaltering. Vee vill make a difference in this vorld, Al, I felt it the moment I laid eyes on you. You know that, right? You know how much more quickly vee vill be able to affect change like this, following our own guidelines rather than those set in place for us? In order to remodel society, some of society's laws must be undone; it is only logical," said Gellert, sternly and sincerely. He had never met brainpower to match his own before.

"I am well aware of our bylaws, Gellert. I have come to the conclusion that the backbone of our movement must be promising of change, yet convincing of our ultimatum that everyone _will_ one day benefit. We need to put our ideas into motion as one would a political campaign. Our slogan shall be our stability," Albus explained seriously.

"Vell, you said it yourself, Al. Vee vill do votever it takes to affect this change 'For the Greater Good.' Perfect, I told you," Gellert said, smiling again.

"You really think this is for the greater good, Gellert? You really think what we are planning to do is right?" Albus asked him earnestly. He had looked away from Gellert for a few seconds, now returning his gaze to those intense, grey eyes. Gellert looked back at him, though his gaze was harsh and searching this time.

"Of course I do, Albus," he professed as he backed away from the other boy slightly. "It is the only vay. You know the power vithin yourself; you know that it sets you apart from Muggles and even other vizards. Brilliance like ours needs to be put to use. It vould be more of a crime to _vaste_ it. Vee are too good to sit underneath everyone else, taking orders and doing mundane, useless tasks to prove ourselves. Vee shall make the greatest team, Albus, you and I. Look at me, decide now vot it is that you vant," Gellert commanded. There was no debating with him, no reasoning, everything he said was pure fact to Albus, all of Albus' doubts were wiped from his mind and he truly believed that their brilliance could reach no ends together.

"I want _you_," Albus said, matter-of-factly.

"That," Gellert replied, grinning, "I can give you much sooner than vorld domination."

* * *

Albus was lying on his bare back, trembling. Gellert was hovering inches above him, breathing onto his lips.

"Are you ready?" Gellert asked him. Albus nodded, for he could form no words with which to respond.

Gellert smirked, that mischievous smirk of his that made Albus' head rush, and he sat up, looking over Albus' body with determination. Albus' knew he was about to be conquered by this boy, about to completely submit to him, but it did not matter; he would not have been able to stop Gellert now even if he wanted to, which he definitely did not. Gellert lifted Albus' legs and put them on his own shoulders. He got ready and looked down at Albus with a gaze that said, 'Here goes nothing.' He positioned himself and gently pushed himself into Albus. Albus winced at the pain, but it was dulled by the fact that Gellert was inside him. Slowly, so as to not hurt Albus, Gellert thrust. It was excruciatingly pleasant. _Thrust_. The only thing that Albus had been able to think about for the past week was actually happening; he and Gellert were so close that they were actually taking up the same space. Albus opened his eyes.

"Are you –?" Gellert started.

"Harder."

Grinning, Gellert thrust again and knew that he had met his match. This quiet, brilliant boy with so many burdens was his. They made the perfect match and one day they would have everything together. He had this boy now; he had him in most every sense of the word. Albus' face became more and more jubilant as Gellert's thrusts became harder and more frequent.

In what seemed like no time at all, they exploded. It was done. Albus Dumbledore was taken, and Gellert Grindelwald had given. Given more of himself though than he realized at this point.

**Fin! Please let me know what you think of it so far!**


	2. Chapter 2

II

It had been a few weeks now since their first meeting. Albus and Gellert had taken to locking themselves up in Gellert's room, researching Hallows and planning out their greatest ambitions, among other things, their passion overtaking every aspect of their lives. Today, however, they had retreated to Bathilda's backyard, underneath a shady tree, books spread out around them, when suddenly a silvery goat ran hastily toward them. Albus immediately jumped up, the color draining from his face.

"What –"

"Ariana!" Albus yelled as he set out in a sprint for his house. Gellert jumped up as well, following Albus, knowing that the Patronus from Albus' brother could only mean trouble. By the time Gellert reached Albus' wide open front door, Albus was already up the stairs and in Ariana's room. Gellert ran in, slamming the door behind him and bounding up the stairs two at a time.

The scene that he found when he reached Ariana's room was horrific. The young girl of about fourteen was writhing on the floor, her eyes rolled in the back of her head, seemingly seizing. Her two brothers, her only caretakers left, were acting as fast as they could. Albus was casting Shield Charms over everything in sight, and Aberforth was talking as calmly as he could to his little sister, trying to get close enough to touch her. There were red sparks ejecting from her fingertips, and all of a sudden she rose into the air, as if levitated.  
"NO!" Aberforth shrieked. "Ariana! Come down, it's okay, it's Ab, your Ab, its okay, just come down and you'll be safe!" he pleaded. Albus ran over to her little body, but as he reached out a hand there was a blast, a flash of red light, Albus was thrown across the room into the wall and Ariana began to fall out of the air. It appeared that the boys were seasoned in responding to their little sister's attacks, however, because Aberforth reacted with cat-like reflexes.

"Wingardium leviosa!" he bellowed. She stopped falling right before she hit the ground, and he levitated her to her bed and placed her gently down. She stirred slightly, and he ran to her and grabbed her hand, leaning over her and waiting for her to come to. Gellert ran over to Albus and kneeled down beside him, helping him to sit up.

"You okay, Al?" he asked earnestly, but Albus brushed him off and ran to his sister's side, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"What happened?" he asked Aberforth, looking up at him.

"You would know if you were here," he replied stiffly, not removing his gaze from their sister. Ariana was opening her eyes and Albus looked down at his lap. "Ari, oh Ari," Aberforth cooed. "It's okay, you're back with us now. Nothing bad happened. Do you feel okay?"  
"Yes, better," she replied weekly. "Al, you're here?"

"I'm here, Ari," he said as he squeezed her leg. She closed her eyes again, exhausted by her fit. Albus got up slowly and walked out of the room. He walked right out of the front door and all the way back to Bathilda's house, throwing himself down on the grass underneath the tree again. Gellert had quickly followed, and was now standing over Albus, looking down at him as he sat with his face in his hands.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," Albus said, surprisingly steadily, as he looked up at Gellert. There were tears running down his face.

Gellert's eyes were soft. There was no trace of the usual mischief or sternness in them. They held nothing but pity for the boy that sat at his feet. Gellert said nothing; he just sat next to Albus and put an arm around him, bringing him closer. Albus leaned his head on Gellert's shoulder, silent tears pouring down his face.

* * *

They didn't speak much for the rest of the day after Ariana's fit; they just sat under the tree for a while until Albus could face going back to his house. He prepared dinner for his siblings and remained silent, thinking hard about his responsibilities to his family and how they would affect his and Gellert's plans. He was ashamed at the amount of time that he had spent away from them as of late, and especially of the neglect he had inflicted upon Ariana. He knew Aberforth was always her favorite, always the one that was able to get her to cheer up or calm down, but Aberforth was only a kid himself and the huge burden that had been their mother's was now Albus', and he was ignoring it. As he set their plates he decided he would voice his concerns to Gellert the next day. He was afraid.

"Vot do you mean, 'you have other responsibilities'?" Gellert sneered angrily. "Those two kids are _not_ yours, Albus, and they're bringing you down. You really vant to jeopardize the rest of your life, your success, for these kids?"

"They're my family, Gellert," Albus said quietly, looking down.

"You vant to know vot hurts me the most, Albus? It's the fact that you are tied down by societal rules, the very things vee are looking to change! Society says you _must_ hang around here and take care of your brother and sister for the rest of eternity or you're a horrible person. I don't agree. There are other options," said Gellert sternly. The fire that sometimes possessed his usually mellow grey eyes was there, and it frightened Albus.

"But Gellert, I love them. My remaining here would not only be to live up to the expectations of others, but it would be out of respect for my mother, for whom the burden of caring for Ariana was fatal. It would be because I love my brother and sister, and could not leave them to fend for themselves. There are no other options," replied Albus solemnly.

"But there _are_. Ariana is dangerous; you should put her in St. Mungo's. Then she vill be surrounded by people trained to deal vith her condition. That vould leave you and Aberforth to live your own lives. Not to mention the fact that vunce vee unite the Hallows you vill be able to protect them from anything, even death! Think about it, Al; _you could even reunite your entire family_. Vith the Elder Vand, no von vould be able to stop us from getting your father out of Azkaban. And the Resurrection Stone, Al… you could get your mother back," he proclaimed, watching Albus' face, trying to read the emotion that his words had stirred in Albus. He could see the wheels turning in Albus' brain, working out the situation. He began making his case again, slowly.

"Vee vill be unstoppable; you know this. Vot about our plan? It is too important, you know, for us to remain inactive, ven vee have the capabilities to be great. You know how much better, how much more efficient and structured the vorld vill be vunce vee establish the rightful order. Vee have planned and planned, and you know that vunce us vizards reveal ourselves to the Muggle vorld and establish our rule, our rightful place, vee vill make the vorld better. You and me, vith the Deathly Hallows, vill establish this order and take our places at the head of not only the Vizarding Vorld, but the entire vorld." Gellert finished his monologue with quickened breath, something quite powerful but unstable flaring up behind his eyes. He locked gazes with Albus unwaveringly.

"I know…" sighed Albus, quivering. Those eyes bore into his heart, capturing him, holding him there unrelentingly. "My _whole_ family…"

"And me," said Gellert finally.

And that was that. Gellert was right, of course, and could give Albus everything he ever wanted.

* * *

"I love you," Gellert whispered into Albus' ear, unsure of his motives for using such an expression. Albus felt the pressure, and then he was whole again. He was on his hands and knees, Gellert behind him, in him, where he needed him. Albus could do nothing but moan in response to Gellert's statement. It got harder, they moved faster. Gellert knew now exactly what to do for Albus, knew exactly what he wanted. They played this game for some time, ending with both of them collapsing onto the bed, gasping.

"And I love you," Albus panted as he rolled over to face Gellert. Gellert stared into the mysterious blue eyes he so often got lost in. Those eyes knew all. They saw straight into Gellert's soul and exploited all of his faults and weaknesses. He was in control, he had this boy wrapped around his finger, but he was sure that Albus didn't realize how much of Gellert he had himself. The auburn-haired boy leaned in and kissed the blonde one gently. Albus then rested his head on Gellert's bare chest, right over his heart, long wisps of hair blanketing them both. Gellert kissed the top of his head, stroking those beautiful locks. The warmth that radiated from Albus' head into Gellert's heart and then subsequently spread throughout his entire body was the epitome of the emotion he experienced for Albus, the only positive emotion he had ever and would ever feel for another living being. 

**A/N:** A little short, but there you have it. Pleaseplease review with any thoughts at all!


	3. Chapter 3

III 

Albus walked into his house one evening after spending the entire day at the Bagshot's, per usual. Aberforth was waiting for him in the kitchen; Ariana was nowhere to be seen.

"I need to talk to you," Aberforth said immediately.

"What's the matter, Ab?" asked Albus, tentatively. His voice was pained and tired, almost dreading.

"I won't be returning to Hogwarts in the fall. I've made my decision and I belong here, with Ariana," his voice was stern and serious, determined. "I'm not leaving her here with only you to look after her."

"Aberforth, you are barely sixteen years old! You must continue your education," said Albus. "There is no debating this subject; I will not have you drop out of school. Your education is the most important thing and it is your responsibility."

"Don't you _dare_ talk to me about responsibility!" Aberforth shouted. "_Your_ responsibilities have been all but forgotten! Since you are incapable of caring for our sister, that responsibility has passed to me. I did not inform you to get your approval; I just figured you should know." And with that, Aberforth stormed off up the stairs.

"Wait!" Albus called after him. "I'm working on another solution, Aberforth, trust me on this. I'll fix it," he pleaded. Aberforth turned around at the top step.

"_You'll_ fix it? _You're_ working on another solution? You're chasing fantasies with your…your… new _boyfriend_!" he yelled.

"Please, just trust me this time."

"I'm not waiting around for you to pull through anymore," Aberforth snarled as he turned and continued into his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

There was a light tapping on Gellert's window. He jumped up in anticipation, knowing what it was. He let the owl in and took the letter it was carrying. The letter, he knew, was from Albus. He hastily unrolled the parchment, wondering what clue in their Quest Albus had uncovered, since a late-night revelation was usually the cause for these midnight deliveries.

* * *

__

Gel,

_The summer is coming quickly to a close and Aberforth is threatening his withdrawal from Hogwarts in order to remain here and care for Ariana. I could not bear to allow him to do this. We have come far in our research and I believe we are ready to commence actively searching for the Hallows. Our plan must be put into motion immediately, not just for the good of the Wizarding World, but for the good of my family as well. Begin preparing tonight, as I will._

_Albus_

Gellert closed his eyes satisfactorily, a small smile spreading across his face, and clenched the letter in his hands as he finished reading. They would finally begin their journey and Albus would finally be free of the burden of his family. Gellert would be the only one he needed soon, the only one that mattered. They would be the most powerful wizards in history. The Muggles would be under their control, and in their rightful place. They would learn to respect magic and those who could wield it. What happened to Ariana as a child would never happen to any witch or wizard again. The only obstacle that Gellert could see would be those two kids that Albus possibly valued more than he valued Gellert and the Hallows. He would have to see to it that Albus would not be held back by them any longer. Albus would be his.

* * *

The next day, Gellert arrived at Albus' early. Aberforth and Ariana were in the kitchen eating breakfast. Albus and Gellert proceeded past them, up the stairs and into Albus' bedroom.

"Are you ready for this, Albus?" asked Gellert seriously. "You know he vill not be happy vith this."

"I know. It is for the best, Gellert, and I know that now. He will come around to the idea," said Albus solemnly, the twinkle in his eyes quite absent at the moment.

"Al, come here," ordered Gellert gently as he grabbed Albus' waste. He looked him sternly in the eyes. "It _is_ for the best, Albus, _it is_." Gellert leaned in and kissed him. "Vee vill be able to help them ven vee have the power to. And vee vill also be together." He thought this would seal the deal.

"Let's go talk to him," said Albus. He moved away from Gellert slowly and headed out of the room.

"What are you doing here?" Aberforth sneered as Albus and Gellert reached the bottom of the stairs and entered the kitchen. "I told you not to bring your business into this house."

"Come into the livingroom, Ab," said Albus calmly.

"Why?"

"Vee vould like a vord vith you," said Gellert, glaring at the boy. Aberforth scowled but followed them into the next room.

"Sit down," Gellert ordered.

"I don't take orders from the likes of you, especially in my own home," Aberforth said firmly, taking a step closer to Gellert. "What do you want with me, Al? Get this prat out of my face." He was still staring Gellert straight in the eyes.

"Aberforth, have a seat, please," Albus said softly as he himself sat down. Aberforth broke gazes with Gellert and sat, reluctantly. "Aberforth, I told you I was working on a plan to try and fix our situation, to do what is best for our family."

"And?"

"And vee have the solution. These are the necessary steps vee need to take in order to do vot is best. Trying to negotiate the terms vould be foolish and unsuccessful," Gellert told him fiercely. He often wondered how such an inferior being could be so closely related to Albus.

"Albus, shut him up, I'm talking to you, not him," Aberforth told his older brother, not even bothering to look at Gellert this time. Gellert jumped up in rage.

"Votch your tongue, boy! You vill learn some respect soon enough!" Gellert exclaimed angrily. His eyes were once again in the state that scared Albus.

"Don't you dare talk down to me! You are barely older than I am and no better off for it!" Aberforth snapped.

"Gellert, _sit down_," Albus said firmly. Gellert complied, glaring daggers at Aberforth. "Aberforth, Gellert and I must go away for a while. We have many important things that need to be done. However, I cannot leave you and Ariana alone here. I know you will not like it, but for the time being I have deemed it necessary to place Ariana in the care of the Healers at St. Mungo's, allowing you to return to school and me to embark on this necessary excursion," Albus explained, watching Aberforth closely and waiting for the explosion.

"You're out of your goddamn mind, you selfish bastard," Aberforth said, quite calmly in fact, as he got up and made to exit the room.

"Aberforth –"

"_NO_, Albus! I will not have your misguided fantasies of power and glory rule our lives anymore! I may not be as brilliant as you are, but I'm not stupid! I know the gist of what you seek to achieve, and its insanity! Your judgment has been clouded by your love of power and this git," he nodded in Gellert's direction. "Ariana and I will not be compromised because of your insensibility. You put her in St. Mungo's and we'll never get her out. Our mother died trying to keep her from living that sort of life. I won't allow you to disrespect that."

"Vee vill not be impeded by the likes of you any longer!" Gellert cried as he jumped off the couch, pulling out his wand. "I've heard the last of it! You vill do vot vee tell you, or you vill suffer the consequences!"

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE AND STAY AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!" Aberforth roared as he too brandished his wand.

"Please, both of you, calm down!" Albus pleaded, but the two other boys were snarling at each other, neither backing down.

"ALBUS, GET HIM OUT OF HERE WITH THAT WAND! IF ARIANA SEES…"

"_Please_, Gellert!"

"Vee cannot let this insignificant boy ruin all of our plans, Albus! Do not falter now! Think of the Greater Good!" Gellert bellowed, still not looking away from Aberforth. His eyes flashed maliciously and Albus knew it had all begun to fall apart. The madness that would flash in Gellert's eyes occasionally was taking over. The madness Albus had hoped could be constructively controlled was forming a mind of its own.

"_CRUCIO_!" Gellert shrieked out of nowhere. Aberforth fell to the floor and began to writhe and yell in pain.

"GELLERT, NO!" Albus cried over his brother's screams as he lunged at Gellert. Gellert put out a hand to stop Albus, flinging him to the side and onto the floor with ease.

"Stay back, Albus. He vill not resist us anymore ven I am done," said Gellert quietly, the whole while his flaming eyes remained locked on Aberforth's writhing body.

"Please, Gellert, no, no," Albus sobbed helplessly. Just then, there was movement from the door behind them, and Albus' heart sank.

"Albus! What is going on?" came a soft, petrified voice. He turned around with dread.

"Ariana, go to your room! _Now!_" he said, horrified.

"No, Al… Aberforth… NO!" she shrieked. Her face got strange and blank. She took a step into the room and something shot out of her fingertips at Gellert's back. He stumbled forward and the curse he had placed upon Aberforth was released. Aberforth just lay there, gasping for breath, while Gellert turned around to face Ariana.

"_CRUCIO!_" he shouted for a second time, rage now the prominent emotion on his face. Ariana's tiny body fell and became rigid. She did not scream or writhe.

"NO, GELLERT! DON'T HURT HER! DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT THIS WILL DO TO HER? _STOP!_" Albus screamed as he finally pulled out his own wand. He was too late though, because Aberforth had just shot a spell at Gellert from the floor. The curse upon Ariana was lifted and Gellert turned upon Aberforth once again. They began to duel, and Albus remained helpless.

"PLEASE, BOTH OF YOU, STOP! ARIANA NEEDS OUR ATTENTION! WE CAN WORK THIS OUT!" Albus shouted over the blasts. They paid him no mind, however, and continued to cast spell after spell at each other. The only thing Albus could think to do was to join the duel in order to try to protect them. It seemed as though Gellert was expecting this, however, because he shot a spell at Albus right before he was able to act that blasted him backward into the wall. Ariana was getting up again, her eyes still glassy but frightened. The spells were flying in every direction, passing dangerously close to her.

"Don't hurt them, don't hurt them, Gellert, please, please, hurt me instead, take it out on me," Albus whimpered. He pulled himself together and jumped up and began casting Shielding Charms and trying to disarm both his brother and the boy he loved, not wanting either to get hurt. He tried with all his might to deflect spells away from Ariana until it became too much and he had to further intervene. He began casting more damaging charms at the duelers until he was completely immersed in the duel himself. They circled each other, beams of colored light flying here and there. Albus tried as hard as he could to keep his eye on Ariana, whose eyes had now rolled into the back of her head, her uncontrollable magic pent up inside her, but it was too hard to concentrate on both the duel and Ariana. He decided that stopping the duel was the best way to help Ariana, and focused all his attention on that.

"GELLERT, PLEASE, STOP THIS AT ONCE! I WON'T STAND FOR IT!" Albus roared, reaching his boiling point. He could not believe Gellert was actually threatening the lives of the only family members he had left. He could not believe that this boy for whom he cared so deeply could be so vicious… but then again, hadn't he seen it behind those eyes?

"ARIANA! NO, _ARIANA!_" Aberforth shouted suddenly. His faced had turned ghostly white and he had stopped dueling in mid-cast. Time seemed to slow down. The last spells disappeared as Aberforth seemed to run in slow motion over to Ariana's now limp body. He sank to his knees next to her and turned her over to face him. Her mouth was slightly open, a shocked, pained expression on her face. Her eyes were still open as well, though still rolled in the back of her head, leaving only the whites visible. Her blonde hair flowed behind her, over her brother's knees as he held her.

"NO!" he shrieked as realization set in. That horrified scream and the sobs that followed would haunt Albus for the rest of his life.

"Ariana…" Albus said weekly, disbelieving. He turned to Gellert, mortified. There was nothing but pain and sadness in his eyes, searching Gellert for some explanation, some reason why and how this all could have happened. "Dead…" he sank to his knees, still staring at Gellert beseechingly. "You…" A tear ran down his cheek.

"Vee don't know whose spell killed her," said Gellert, emotionless. "It happened. But now you are free to do vot you vish. Like vee said, Albus, those in our vay vould have to be taken care of."

"Ariana…" Albus whispered. He covered his face with his hands and sobbed while Gellert just stood there. The only thing Gellert felt now was anger. He knew he was going to lose Albus to this foolishness. Albus' face remained in his hands, though after a minute he regained himself and stopped sobbing. He said quite steadily and with the sternest tone he had ever used, "Leave, Gellert." He removed his hands and looked up at Gellert, dry eyed. "My eyes have been opened."

Gellert stared at Albus for a moment, searching him, but when he turned to run out of the house his eyes were no longer filled with rage, but with fear. He sprinted all the way back to his aunt's house, intent on packing his things and returning to his own country as soon as was possible.

Albus crawled over to where his brother was still sitting, sobbing into Ariana's motionless chest. He dared not touch Aberforth to try to comfort him in fear of retaliation, but Aberforth knew not that Albus existed at the moment. The only thing that existed to him, or did not exist anymore, that is, was Ariana.

Albus laid himself down at Ariana's head, burying his face in her long, golden hair, and he cried. He cried for the loss, the pieces that were missing from his heart. He cried for his father, whom he had lost to revenge and anger, and thus Azkaban. He cried for his mother, whom he had lost to a loyalty that proved fatal. He cried for the love of his life, which he had lost to greed and power. He cried for his brother, whom he knew he would soon lose to bitterness and resentment. And he cried for his sweet, innocent little sister, whom he had lost to evil in all of these forms and many more. And finally he cried for himself, for he knew he would never be whole again after what he had allowed to transpire. 

**A/N: That's the end to the part about their summer. That's pretty much all I have written up to, but I have ideas for the rest. Please keep reviewing and let me know what you think; it will motivate me!**


	4. Chapter 4

IV 

Forty-Six Years Later 

Albus put down the _Daily Prophet_ he was reading and let out a deep, tired sigh. The picture on the front page showed a Muggle house afire, the firemen attempting fruitlessly to extinguish the magical flames. A curious geometric symbol was burnt into the grass in front of the house, a symbol that not many but Albus recognized as that which represents the Deathly Hallows. Unfortunately, horrific stories such as this were a common occurrence in the _Prophet_ these days. There was no fooling himself into thinking that he could avoid it any longer. The man he had loved as a boy was now wreaking havoc over all of mainland Europe. And, all those years ago, Albus had been one half of the team that had dreamed up the ideas that had grown into the Reign of Terror now led by Gellert Grindelwald himself.

Albus had known in his heart for quite some time now that he would ultimately have to be the one to bring Gellert down. Many had tried since he became tyrannically powerful, and all had failed. Albus unfortunately knew they would all fail, for there was no match for Gellert; none but himself.

* * *

Albus Apparated to the small island and let out a shudder when he opened his eyes. The smell of salt stung his nose and mist from the stormy seas was spraying up around him. He was standing in front of what appeared to be a large stone fortress, towers jutting out all over. Albus' stomach churned as he read the slogan carved into the stone over the gated entrance of Nurmengard Prison. Those words, "For the Greater Good," had been out of his mouth originally.

Albus walked up to the gate, not anticipating it being too difficult for him to enter. Though this was Gellert's new "prison," he figured he was expected to arrive there eventually. Gellert kept his enemies locked up in this horribly dismal fortress, though he was also rumored to reside here in a distant wing. Albus touched the gate softly, whispering "Alohamora" just in case, though it was to no avail. He searched scrupulously for traces of magic that would assist in his entering this foreboding place. He found a small carving on the stone on the far right side of the gate. It was a roughly depicted symbol of the Deathly Hallows.

Albus smiled minutely; this was just how Gellert would act. He was an extremely intelligent man, though cocky enough to overlook the simplicities in things. This engraved symbol would let in anyone who bore the symbol on their skin. Of course it was Gellert's thinking that no one who sported what had come to be known as his personal symbol would be a threat to his fortress. Either it was part of his plan or he had neglected to remember that Albus had the mark carved into his skin as well. He decided it probably didn't matter to Gellert that Albus could access entrance to this fortress.

Albus took a deep breath and raised his right thumb to the symbol, his right thumb being the place where a tiny symbol representing the Deathly Hallows had been burnt into his flesh many years ago. The symbol glowed red for an instant and that was the only noticeable change Albus could see in his surrounding. He tentatively walked back over to stand in front of the gate and then stepped right through it. The scene that was now in front of him was similar to what he thought he could see through the bars of the gate outside, though it was the actual courtyard of the fortress instead of an illusion. He sighed relief when he realized there were no guards at this point either. He then closed his eyes and concentrated his energy on Gellert. Now that he was inside the facility he could hopefully muster up every ounce of Legilimency that he could in order to see something of what Gellert was doing or thinking, or at least give Gellert a sign that he was here and draw him out to the courtyard. Albus knew he could find him in the fortress if he needed to, though he hoped to remain closer to an exit so that once he had Gellert in his custody he could leave without too much bustle from Gellert's minions.

Albus was already under a disillusionment charm, but he hid himself behind a large tree in the courtyard where he could keep an eye on the front door, just for precaution. He focused his mind on Gellert, though his attempts were futile; even the strongest forms of Legilimency require eye contact. He decided to send out a Patronus, though a bit more risky. A bright, silvery phoenix then burst from the tip of his wand and went off flying in whichever direction it would find Gellert; Albus had charmed it to inform Gellert that he should come out to the courtyard and meet him, quietly if he wished it to be civil. He waited with bated breath. He did not know how he would react to seeing Gellert for the first time in decades.

After a few minutes there was a barely audible "pop", and none other than Gellert Grindelwald Apparated right outside the fortress doors, almost a half a century older than the boy Albus had last seen fleeing from his house in Godric's Hollow. He had come alone, but Albus knew it only appeared so; he would have people waiting and watching, just inside the doors. Albus stepped out from behind the tree and removed his Disillusionment charm.

"Ah, there you are, Albus," Gellert droned. "Such a very long time it has been. Vot a strange vay to initiate a reunion." He smirked the same smirk that once made Albus weak in the knees.

"I'm not expecting this to be a pleasant encounter, Gellert," Albus said seriously, taking a few steps in Gellert's direction.

"Vot have you come to do, Albus? Have you come to kill me?" he drawled sarcastically. "Have you come to avenge your sister? Come to punish me for all the wrong I've done? Have you forgotten yourself, Albus? Have you forgotten vot role you have played in this?"

"Not a day goes by during which I do not think about all of this, Gellert," Albus replied somberly. "Though my motives are pure this time. My thoughts are no longer adulterated by emotions. Everything I thought as a naïve boy has been reformed, and after decades more of experience, I am certain I have come to believe in truer ideals than I did then. However, even then I would have never condoned the atrocities you have committed. Murder, especially to such a degree, is unthinkable to me, Gellert. I'm not sure how I could have thought I was such a kindred spirit with someone who can do such things."

"Oh Albus, don't pretend that in all your quests you have never taken another life. Do you know who's spell took your sister for sure?" Gellert taunted.

"Regardless, Gellert, I have taken full responsibility for the death of my sister. It was my foolishness that ultimately killed her. My mind was clouded and my actions were misled," Albus indulged.

"Vee could have ruled the vorld, Albus," Gellert said darkly, locking his grey eyes on Albus'. "Your brilliance knows no bounds, yet you have not let it grow to its full potential. It pains me, Albus! Such intelligence, such beautifully raw knowledge should be allowed to roam free!" he exclaimed, eyes flashing maddeningly like they used to, when Albus used to fear the change would be permanent. He assumed the change had become permanent long ago, and it deeply saddened him.

"To have power is to have the responsibility to know how to wield it, Gellert. That is the difference between you and I. You could have been a brilliant member of the Wizarding World as well, and yes, we could have done great things together. The improvements we could have made on peoples' lives would have been unmatched. But alas, our paths diverged, and here we now stand, as they meet once again." Albus sighed heavily. "What now shall become of us?"

"I have been improving lives, Albus, for the Greater Good. Remember?" he smirked. "But now vee vill find out if you can really veild you powers," he replied. "I fear your brilliance, Albus, you know I do, because you're the only being I've ever met that I vould consider an equal to me. However, I don't expect you to be able to do real harm to me," he finished cockily, drawing his wand.

"As I don't expect you to be able to do real damage to me, Gellert."

Albus drew his wand in return, and the doors of the fortress burst open in response.

"Leave us to duel properly!" Gellert ordered. His minions stopped in their tracks. His eyes flashed again as he and Albus took their stances, and without warning, Gellert began the duel. Albus was ready; he was more than ready. He had been preparing for this moment for years.

They sent spells flying at one another, dodging and blocking them in a fashion that seemed it to have been rehearsed. It was almost like a dance. They seemed to mirror each others moves as though they knew what the other was going to do before they even did it. The onlookers became mesmerized enough to not notice the bangs that seemed to be shaking the whole fortress. Suddenly, the loudest rumble of all shuttered the whole island, and a group of Aurors barged through the front gates; they had broken through the magical wards sealing off the fortress.

Neither of the dueling men lost concentration or broke eye contact for even a second. The Aurors stood rooted to the spot, unable to intervene, watching the enormous skill that was being displayed right in front of them.

"I thought you had come alone, Albus! Thought you wanted this to be civil!" Gellert said between casts.

"I did come alone, though I sent an owl to the Ministry just before I Apparated. I am no fool, Gellert," Albus replied breathily. They were matching each other cast for cast still.

"That you certainly are not. So stop holding back and give me all you've got!" Gellert bellowed as he lunged forward and began to duel even more aggressively. Albus increased his power just enough to match Gellert's, searching for a weak moment to stun him, even just a second, though it didn't seem like Gellert was showing any signs of weakening.

"Kill me then, Gellert, if that is what you mean to do," Albus said calmly. "It is the only way you will win this duel."

Gellert started a little at this admittance, which he then knew was true. Albus was prepared to give up his life in this duel. He was prepared to die for what he believed in, and for the people he desired to protect. Could Gellert say the same for himself?

Albus saw a split second's hesitation in Gellert and seized his chance.

"STUPEFY!" Albus bellowed, and Gellert stopped in his tracks, the hesitation still etched on his face, and fell flat onto his back. Without giving anyone else a second to act, Albus followed his spell forward, running towards the man he had just defeated; how he had managed this, he wasn't yet quite sure. The Aurors were at Albus' heels as Gellert's followers began Disapparating immediately. He leaned over the blonde man that lay on his back and looked him over. He saw the hesitation and confusion that must have only been a moment long, but which had given Albus a second's window in which to act. He wasn't sure if it was luck or something more that allowed him this moment's advantage, but he had a hunch. Though they had not seen each other for many years, Albus figured he had seen enough of a certain side of Gellert once upon a time to realize that it was probably something more. 

**A/N: Here is the latest installment! Sorry it took me so long to update, I had to finish this and I've been working on a NextGen fic as well, plus school. Busy, busy! One more part left, should be up very soon if I get good reviews :P**

**PLEASE REVIEW!  
**


	5. Chapter 5

_Fifty-Two Years Later_

Albus rolled this most ominous looking wand in his good hand, the one that was not blackened with death. He had been in possession of the wand for over 50 years now, but he was still not used to the sensations it sent through his entire body when he was wielding its power. He still was not used to the kind of magic he could perform with, and he still was not used to the sinking feeling in the back of his stomach when he let himself think about what it really was.

The Elder Wand held a special place in Albus' heart for many reasons, most of which were sentimental and unrelated to its legendary powers. This wand was one of three Hallows, objects he had once been willing to give his life to search for. It was one of the things that had bonded him to Gellert Grindelwald almost a century ago, and it proved that at least one thing they had shared a belief in was true. He had also taken it from the stiff hands of Gellert himself after he had stunned him and brought him out of power over 50 years ago. He had had to lock Gellert up in his own prison. Since they had spent a solitary summer together when they were merely teenagers, in the near century that had passed since, that was the only time Albus had seen Gellert. That summer was also the only time he had ever allowed himself to love someone fully. He could not trust himself with too much power of any sort, and love was one of the greatest powers imaginable.

This wand, however, now held the key to everything he had worked for the last decades of his life to preserve. This elaborate plan was the last amount of power he had allowed himself to have, and he may have even ruined that by letting himself care so much for Harry Potter. However, he was fairly confident that, with the help of Severus, he could keep this most powerful wand out of Lord Voldemort's hands. He hoped he could pass the power of this wand safely out of lineage, and perhaps Voldemort would never even trace the wand to him. If he did get that far though, it would lead Voldemort first to Gellert. Regardless of what had happened over the course of his life, Albus could not shake the feeling of dread he felt at the thought of Voldemort tracing the wand to Gellert. This was not in fear of his own life, but in fear of Gellert's.

Gellert had shown remorse as of late, locked up in his cell in the highest tower of the prison where he once held his enemies. It was because of this that Albus knew he hadn't been a completely foolish judge of character when it came to Gellert all those years ago. He at least knew one thing that Gellert had up on Voldemort, one thing that separated the two and which made Albus' heart ache; Gellert had loved. Perhaps not a lot, and maybe only for a few instances that he allowed himself to that summer they spent together, but he had loved when Voldemort had never, and never would.

Albus sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair, shaking. It would not be long now before he had to let go of control and let events unfold themselves. He may have made an innumerable and unforgivable amount of mistakes in his long life, but at least he could say that he had loved and tried to protect Harry Potter as best he could, as if he were his own son, and as if he were trying to make amends for the lack of protection he had bestowed upon his sister. He knew he had loved Gellert Grindelwald since the moment he had met him, and would love him until the day he died. He also knew that there was at least some shred of humanity still left within Gellert, and that perhaps that sane piece still belonged to Albus.

* * *

Gellert sat in the corner of his cell in Nurmengard, the same small, dingy room that he had learned to call home the better half of this last century. He knew he deserved it, he knew, it just pained him to be unable to do anything about it. His greatest fear was to waste his mind, and now he was wasted. He had been wasting away for decades, his mind decaying more so than his body, though his body was not in good shape either. He held his bony knees to chest and was rocking back and forth, waiting. He knew something was coming, he just didn't know when. He could feel it, and it was driving him even more insane.

The last sliver of light shining through his window was becoming thinner by the second until it finally disappeared in front of his eyes. He cackled a little at this, for the night was upon him again and the real madness was about to take place. He could already taste nothing and smell very little, so the diminishing of his sense of sight made his mental state deteriorate even further. He curled into a ball underneath his blanket and waited, waited…

Just after dusk had set in, a strange shadow flashed in front of the singular barred window in Gellert's cell. A hooded figure entered the cell through it as though he had materialized from mist. Gellert stirred and turned over, smiling grotesquely as he saw Lord Voldemort standing in front of him. Gellert spoke first, unable to contain himself.

"So, you have come. I thought you would… one day. But your journey was pointless. I never had it," he explained through maniacal grin and bulging eyes.

"_You lie!_" Voldemort hissed at him through thin lips, rage clearly building up within him.

"What do I have left to lie for, Voldemort? I've been in this cell for _decades_," he sniggered again. "_Decades!_ You are a powerful man, there is no doubting that, though you lack the crucial intelligence that recognizes subtleties. Your naivety is astounding considering the _power_ you've dabbled with." He squealed delightedly at the flash of hatred that was burning in Voldemort's red, pupil-less eyes.

"How _dare_ you insult me, you pathetic man! _Crucio!_" he screamed, his high voice echoing through the small cell. Gellert received his punishment with a smile on his face, uttering no sound to grant Voldemort the satisfaction. As a matter of fact, the pain was a welcome sensation; there wasn't much variety in Gellert's life these days.

Voldemort regretfully let up on his curse and sneered at Gellert. He was positively fuming, and Gellert loved it.

"_No one_ lives to speak to Lord Voldemort that way!" he bellowed.

"Kill me then, Voldemort! I welcome death!" Gellert exclaimed triumphantly. "But my death will not bring you what you seek… There is so much you do not understand…" The wrath was too much for Voldemort to control now, and Gellert knew death was imminent. He was thrilled with the prospect, eager to continue the next phase of his journey, perhaps redeem himself somehow.

As Voldemort raised his wand, Gellert focused his thoughts on the man he had just uttered his last words defending. Perhaps Voldemort would believe that he never had the Elder Wand and therefore believe that Albus did not have it either, grasped in his dead, cold hands in the white tomb that he lay in. Gellert's one pleasure in the last leg of his life was being able to receive the _Daily Prophet_. The day he read that Albus Dumbledore had been murdered he shed a solitary tear, the first tear he had shed since he could remember. In this moment, facing his own death, he thought of the once auburn-haired, always beautiful man that had been his downfall. He thought of the few months during which he felt most alive the summer he spent at Godric's Hollow. He hoped with every ounce of the life he had left in him that the cause Albus had died for was not in vain, because the man had more passion in him than he knew what to do with, and Gellert was sure he had put his entire heart and soul into defeating Voldemort. This small act of dying while at least attempting to protect the sanctity of Albus' grave gave Gellert the peace of mind to at least depart this world with a single shred of dignity left. He closed his eyes and saw nothing but bright blue eyes looking back at him from the inside of his eyelids. Then blue turned to overwhelming green light, and green to black nothingness.

**Fin  
**

**A/N: Finished! So sorry it took me a while to upload this last chapter; I know it isn't much. But thank you to everyone who followed this story and reviewed! I hope you liked it. Please please review and let me know!**


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